Cover-applying mechanism for can-washing machines.



H. D. LAHRoP L w. H. PA'ULSON.. COVER APPLYING MEHANISMFQR CAN WASHING MACHINES.

' APPLICATON- FILED JUNEl 9. 1917- I 1926296790 l y Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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l H. D. LATHROP n w. H. PAuLsoN.

COVER APPLYNG MECHANISM FOR CANWASHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1917. L'Q

Patented Apr. 16, 1918,

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEErcE. HARBY D. LATHROP .AND WALTER H. PAULSON, kOIE CHICAGO, ILLINIS; SAID FAULSN f ASSIGNOR-TO SAID LATHROP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

Application mea June 9, 1917. serial No. 173,897.

To all whom t may concern.'

Bc it known that we,- HARRY D. LATHRoP and WALTER H. PAULsoN, citizens of the United States, 'and residents of the city of Chicago, vcounty of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cover-Applying vMechanism for Can-Washing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in milk can washing machines, and has for its object the production of improved means for automatically applying covers to `the milk cans after washing and drying of the latter, and before the cans have been .discharged from the machine. Heretofore, we have provided means for applying covers to milk cans before discharge of the same from the washing machine, but we 'have found that frequently covers, as applied by the means heretofore provided by us, were not applied securely enough to the cans and frequently became detached or would readily drop olf when the cans were handled. It is the object of the present invention, therefore, to provide improved means for securely applying the covers to the cans so that, when the latter are discharged from the machine, the covers of the same will be fully and securely applied and the danger of thecovers readily detached from the cans, as above pointed out, obviated. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forminga part of this specification, and in which,

Figure l is a side elevation of the discharge end portion of a can washing machine equippcd with cover applying mechanism embodying the invention,

Fig. 2, a section ltaken on substantially line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3,' a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating the successive steps in the operation of the cover applying mechanism.

The preferred form of construction as illustrated inthe drawings, is shown applied to a milk can washingmachine comprising a framework 5 in the lower portion of which is arranged a can guide 6, and in the upper portion of which is provided a cover guide 7, the cans and covers, lettered A and B, respectively, in the operation of the machine, be` ing adapted to slide along said guides 6 and 7 where the same are subjected to the successive washing, sterilizing and drying treatments. Each can after the cleansing of the same has been completed, is pushed from the guide 6 onto a reversing device 8 which is pivoted -at 9, the arrangement being such that the cam which is deposited thereon in inverted position, will, upon rocking of said device 8, be reversed and deposited in upright position onto an inclined discharge guide or chute 10, the can being adapted to slide by gravity down said guide 10.

At the same time that a lcan is pushed from theguide 6,*the cover of said cam is pushed from the guide 7 onto an inclined guide 7 down which the cover slides bygravity until arrested in its movement by a horizontally disposed shelf 11. The member 11 is pivotally and slidably mounted, the

front end thereof being pivotally connected with a leaf 12 secured intermediate its ends to a rockingly mounted shaft 13 which 1s provided at one end with a crank 13.

As the can starts sliding down the guide 10, the same is arrested by a horizontally swinging stop arm 14, the movements of said stop arm being controlled by a reciprocating bar 15 carrying, at its front end, a slotted plate 15 which engages with the outer end of the arm 14, the arrangement being such' that, when the bar 15 is moved forwardly4 or to the right as seen in Fig. 1, said arm will be moved to operative position to arrest the can,` and, when said bar is moved rearwardly or to the left as seen in said ligure, said arm 14 will be swung to releasing -position in order to permit of continued movement of the can down guide 10. The eXact construction for effecting this arresting of the movement of the can is not important in this application, there being no claim here made thereto. When the arm 14 is thus swung to arresting position as above mentioned, however, the crank 13 of shaft 13 the bar 15 which will cause swinging of the members llland 12 to effect release of the cover B resting upon the member 11. The

cover thus released will pass by lgl'aLVI-lilyv down themember 12 and will be directed or guided by said member 12 and a coperating member 17 onto position upon the upper end of the can,

The member 17V is in the nature of a padl dle fixed to a shaft 18 which is freely rotatableand provided at one end with a crank 18. Arranged adjacent the member 17 is an actuating lever 19 fulcrumed intermediate its ends as at 20. rlhe lower end of the lever 19 carries a pawl 21 pivoted at 22, said pawl being provided with a stop 23 which is adapted to engage against the adjacent side of said lever to prevent rocking of the lower end of said pawl to the left relative to said lever, as seen in Fig. 1, said pawl being, however, free for swinging in the opposite direction.

.Formed upon the plate 15 is an inwardly extending flange or shoulder 24 which is adapted to pass in front of the pawl 21, when said plate and hence the bar 15 are at their forward terminals of movement. 'llhe arrangement is such that as said plate and bar are moved rearwardly to'swing the arm 14 to releasing position and to permit of continued downward movement of the can upon guide 10, the flange or shoulder 24C wil engage with the pawl 21, causing a sudden and violent rocking of the lever 19. rlChe upper end of lever 19engages with the crank 18 of the shaft 18 and, upon rocking of said lever as mentioned, causes rocking of the paddle 17 upwardly to a position as indicated in full lines in Fig. 3. The arrangement and timing is such that as the can passes down the guide 10, said paddle 17, swinging downwardly by gravity, will strike the cover of the can and force the same down to closed or fully seated position, as seen in dotted lines in Fig. 3. The portion of said paddle which thus contacts with the cover is resilient, the result being that said paddle will be caused to vibrate or bounce upon the cover, delivering a plurality of blows thereon, which positively insures absolute seating of the cover. At the same time this resiliency guards against injury or marring of the cover. With this arrangement, then it will be seen that each can as discharged from the machine will ,have its cover tightly secured thereto.

but desire to avail ourselves of such varia#v tions and modifications as come within th scope of the appended claims. v

Having described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent isf:-

1. ln a machine of the class described, the.

combination of a can guide; means for depositing a cover on each can moving along said guide; and means for delivering a blow 2. ln a machine of the class described,.-

the combination of a can guide; means for depositing a cover on each can moving along said guide; and means arranged over said guide for delivering a blow upon each cover adapted to force the same down into secure engagement with the can onto which the same is deposited, substantially as described.

3. ln a machine of the class described, the combination of a can guide; means for depositing a cover on each can moving along said guide; and pivotally mounted means for delivering a blow uponeach cover adapted to force the same down into secure engagemnt with the can onto which the same is deposited, substantially as described.

4:. lin a machine of the class described, the combination of a can guide; means for depositing a cover on each can moving along said guide; and a swingingly mounted paddle arranged over said guide and adapted, subsequently to the deposit of a cover onto a can, to deliver a blow upon the cover adapted to force the same down into secure engagement with the can, substantially as described.

5. lin a machine of the class described, the combination of a can guide; means for depositing a cover on each can moving along said guide; and a swingingly mounted resilient paddle arranged over said guide and adapted, subsequently to the deposit of a cover onto a can, to deliver a blow upon the cover adapted to force the same down into secure engagement with the can, substantially as described.

6. ln a machine of the class described, the combination ofa can guide; means for depositing a cover on each can moving along said guide; a swingingly mounted paddle arranged over said guide vand adapted, subsequently to the deposit of a cover onto a can, to strike the cover and forcethe same down into secure engagement with the can; and means, for rocking said paddle to edect actuation of the same at the proper time, substantially as described.

7. lin a machine of the class described, the combination of a can guide; means for depositing a cover on each can moving along said guide; a freely swinging paddle ar-` ranged over said guide and adapted, subsequently to the deposit of a cover-ontov a can, to strike the cover and force the same down into secure' engagement with the can; and means for rocking said addle upwardly at the proper interval te e 1ect engagement, at the proper time, of the paddle with the cover,v upon the downward swinging of the paddle, substantially as described.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a can guide; ymeans for depositin a cover on each can moving along said gui e; vertically movable means arranged over said guide and adapted, subsequently to the depositing of a cover onto a can, to strike the cover and force the same down into secure engagement with the can; and means for moving said cover-striking means to effect actuation of the same at the proper time, substantially as described.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a can guide; means for depositing a cover on each can moving along said guide; a vertically movable member arranged over said guide and adapted, subsequently to the depositing of a cover onto a can, to strike the cover and force the same -dovvn into secure engagement with the can;

and means for movin said cover-striking member vertically to e ect actuation of the same at the proper time, substantially as described. v

In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification in the presence of tvvo subscribing Witnesses.

HARRY D. LATHROP. WALTER H. PAULsoN.

Witnesses:

JOSHUA R. H. PoTTs, B. G. RICHARDS. 

